User's Manual

Horizon Compact Plus Release 1.0.1 Wireless Ethernet Product User Manual – Volume 2
7.0 Management VLAN Tagging
Note: The configuration of Horizon Compact Plus VLAN tagging is only necessary if you wish to restrict
Horizon Compact Plus management communications to a specific management VLAN.
The Horizon Compact Plus system will pass user VLAN traffic transparently, independent of the
Horizon Compact Plus Management VLAN settings. The VLAN settings are for Horizon Compact Plus
management purposes and do not affect user data traffic.
7.1 VLAN Tagging Overview
A Local Area Network (LAN) is a single–broadcast domain. If a user broadcasts information on the LAN,
every other user on the LAN receives the broadcast.
A network manager can create smaller broadcast domains and reduce network broadcasts by logically
segmenting a LAN into different broadcast domains. These broadcast domains are called Virtual Local
Area Networks (VLANs). Workstations on a VLAN do not have to be physically located together
because they are segmented logically and not physically.
VLANs offer a number of advantages over traditional LANs including:
performance
security
formation of virtual workgroups
cost reduction
All ports on a switch are configured for a default VLAN (usually VLAN1). When a switch receives data
from a workstation, the switch tags the data with a VLAN identifier that indicates the originating VLAN.
The switch sends the data to the ports inside the VLAN where the data originated. The switch also
sends the data to a trunking port if one is available.
Network Administrators create VLAN groups and place backbone network devices into the VLAN group
to simplify administration and increase security of the devices. VLAN tagging allows network
administrators to add Horizon Compact Plus nodes to the administrative network. VLAN tagging restricts
administrative access to devices that are members of the VLAN group.
7.2 802.1Q Tagging
VLAN Standard: IEEE 802.1q Draft Standard. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
(IEEE) is working on a draft standard 802.1q for virtual local area networks. Currently, most products
are proprietary. This means that if you wish to install VLANs, you may have to purchase all products
from the same vendor. DragonWave implements Horizon Compact Plus VLAN Tagging using the IEEE
802.1q standard. For more information on the Standard, see the Web page:
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/1/pages/802.1Q.html
7.3 VLAN Tagging Implementation in Horizon Compact Plus
The Horizon Compact Plus system will pass user VLAN traffic transparently, independent of the Horizon
Compact Plus VLAN settings. The VLAN settings are for Horizon Compact Plus management purposes
and do not affect user data or traffic. Note that the Horizon Compact Plus system handles Ethernet
packet sizes up to 9600 bytes.
There are two parameters associated with Horizon Compact Plus VLAN tagging:
1. Enable or disable VLAN tagging (set VLAN tagging [on/off])
2. Identify the VLAN tag id to be used with Horizon Compact Plus (set VLAN tag [tag id])